Project Overview

Given the current threats to US northeastern forest productivity and resilience, we seek to understand how the legacy of dominant mycorrhizal associations affects how forests regenerate, cycle nutrients, and sequester carbon following timber harvesting. In this field experiment, we will first investigate how changes in soil fungal communities and nutrient availability affect seedling survival in AM and EcM-dominated forest stands after logging.

Objectives

The overall objective is to compare the trajectory of forest regeneration and soil organic matter cycling following timber harvest in stands formerly dominated by AM- and EcM- associating trees. This research will help predict the effects of changing forest composition on the ecosystem services provided by northeastern forests. Our specific objectives in the first three years are to determine how shifts in soil fungal communities and nutrient availability after logging in AM or EcM-dominated stands will affect seedling survival, seedling growth, and soil carbon storage.

Dataset Availability

Description only: 1 dataset

Tags

Status - Active

Start date: 2021-09-01

Anticipated end date: 2025-05-30

Study Area

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